The metabolic coregulator RIP140: an update

RIP140 is a transcriptional coregulator highly expressed in metabolic tissues where it has important and diverse actions. RIP140-null mice show that it plays a crucial role in the control of lipid metabolism in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and the liver and is essential for female fertility. RIP140 has been shown to act as a ligand-dependent transcriptional corepressor for metabolic nuclear receptors such as estrogen-related receptors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. The role of RIP140 as a corepressor has been strengthened by the characterization of RIP140-overexpressing mice, although it emerges through several studies that RIP140 can also behave as a coactivator. Nuclear localization of RIP140 is important for controlling transcription of target genes and is subject to regulation by posttranslational modifications. However, cytoplasmic RIP140 has been shown to play a role in the control of metabolism through direct regulation of glucose transport in adipocytes. In this review, we focus on recent advances highlighting the growing importance of RIP140 as a regulator of energy homeostasis.